In the days before GPS devices, you could prepare for a trip by going to the AAA office and requesting a “TripTik.” A TripTik was a series of maps bound together and hi-lited to show your route from your house to your destination. The Torah Portion, Mas’ei, the final Portion in the Book of Numbers […]
Torah Commentary – Matot
The Torah Portion, Mattot, opens with God’s commandment that: “A man who will make a vow to YHWH or has sworn an oath to make a restriction on himself shall not desecrate his word. He shall do it according to everything that comes out of his mouth.” (Numbers 30:3)* As with all Torah Portions, Mattot, […]
Torah Commentary – Pinchas
In terms of story qualities, the Torah Portion, Pinchas, stands in direct contrast to the previous Portion, Balak. Where the narrative of Balak was dramatic, poetic, and visually memorable, Pinchas is more like a series of memoranda. According to commentary, it is the 40th year of the Israelites’ wandering. They are encamped at “an eastern […]
Torah Commentary – Balak
A wicked king, a talking donkey, a wizard whose curses miraculously turn to blessings – “Shrek Meets Harry Potter?” No! It’s the Torah Portion, Balak. Balak is one of my favorite Portions – both for its teachings and for some wonderful personal memories associated with it. Decades ago, in Israel, I had the pleasure of […]
Torah Commentary – Chukat
The Torah Portion, Chukat, grimly develops a number of themes, some of which are familiar to us from previous Portions: laws for rituals; complaints by the children of Israel which are met with punishment from God; conquest (with Divine assistance) of those who obstruct the Israelites’ journey to Canaan; death in combat and the death […]
Torah Commentary – Korah
The Torah Portion, Korah, continues the theme of questioning and distrust of God’s word by the children of Israel and their leaders. In previous Portions, rebellion and lack of faith have been met with divine punishment. God has commanded that the adult generation of complaining, disbelieving Israelites will not be allowed to enter the Promised […]
Shabbat Commentary – Sh’lach L’cha
This Shabbat, one of my daughters took her oldest daughter to the Bat Mitzah of a friend. My daughter was troubled by the Torah Portion, Sh’lach L’cha, specifically the account of the man who was stoned to death at God’s command for collecting wood on Shabbat. (Numbers 15: 32-36)“What kind of a God is this?” […]
Shabbat Commentary – B’haalot’cha
Travelling is stressful – especially with children. There are instructions to go over (and over!), rules to follow, schedules to coordinate. Mom and Dad are trying to pack the suitcases, load the car. “Did we take the boarding passes, the cell phone charger?” “Are the doors locked?” “Where is Junior’s allergy medicine?”And the kids have […]
Shabbat Commentary – Naso
In this week’s Torah Portion, Naso, God seems to be singling out for special instructions, specific groups among the children of Israel. It’s as though God is taking care of items on a cosmic “To Do” list: Assign tasks for transporting parts of the Mishkan to the Gershon and Merari families (Numbers 4:21-49) Send “impure” […]
Shabbat Commentary – Be-Midbar
We have just studied Sefer Va-Yikra (the Book of Leviticus) whose ten Portions centered on God’s commandments (through Moses) to the children of Israel and their priestly leaders. The children of Israel have been camped at the base of Mount Sinai, but are now about to set out on their demanding journey to the land […]
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